Singapore’s Law Minister K Shanmugam yesterday (Feb 18) posted a commentary meddling in US politics and condemned “American-style” democracy:
“The majority of Americans want gun control. But it has not been possible for the US to pass gun control laws, to prevent mentally unstable persons from accessing guns. That is democracy American style – those who want free access to guns (though a minority) are better organized, they channel money to congressmen, other influential persons. They thus have had more power than the majority – so far. They can block any legislation that seeks to control people from buying assault rifles.”
The Home Affairs and Law Minister who commented without advice from the Foreign Ministry then slammed US President Donald Trump, saying that mental health is not to be blamed for the shooting tragedy in US:
“It’s wrong to blame mental health. There are people with mental health issues in every country, including Singapore. America is not alone in having such people. I have had mentally unstable people come to my Meet-The-People (MPS) session, full of anger, wanting to hit out at someone. One climbed a parapet and wanted to jump. We assist them, where possible, to get medical help. If they had access to assault rifles, which can mow down dozens in a minute, I can imagine what might happen. I have met such people in other public places as well.”
Singapore’s Foreign Ministry did not issue any official condolence statements to US over the recent mass murder shooting that killed 17 in a Florida school. Law Minister K Shanmugam’s post is the first commentary on the US incident, but without approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Law Minister often encroach in matters not in his ministry’s domains, and recently took headlines for offending Christians over his speech on theology. Minister K Shanmugam said that he was “wrongly quoted” and that one need to understand the context before quoting him.